Wednesday, 22 September 2010

With the official result to be declared on Saturday afternoon, it now falls to Fabian Review - naturally playing the role of the CNN Election Centre, as the most senior Labour-affiliated organisation, predating the party itself - to call this election.

So let us be the first to declare our warmest congratuations to the next party leader, Mr Miliband, ahead of his election at the weekend.

We'll also start publishing short messages of advice - #miligrams - for the next leader from the great and good of the party, and we'll be inviting you to join in too.

With the leadership campaign over, we are now focusing our attention on the challenges the new leader faces in the tricky weeks and months ahead. So Fabian Review looks across the year at the key challenges - the first speech, the October spending review, the May referendum and devolved elections, party reform and rebuilding Labour's electoral appeal.

There is some risk in having already printed the Fabian Review cover for the party conference special ahead of the official result of this five-candidate election. However, had the Chicago Tribune gone for 'Dewey or Truman triumph' in 1948, they might have got away with it too.

We will publish more from the Fabian Review on the Fabian website and Next Left in the run-up to conference. Fabian members should also receive their copies in the post over the next couple of days. New members can join here. If you are attending the party conference, you can also pick up a copy at any of our fringe events in Manchester.